Spiritual ideas: helpful and not

There are many “spiritual” ideas floating around these days, including the following ones.

We are here to learn, mature, awaken.

We chose this life in order to have the experiences we need to mature, grow, learn, awaken.

We chose these people to be in our life, these situations, these experiences.

It’s all happening for a reason. It’s part of the plan.

These ideas can be helpful. They can help us reframe what’s happened in our life and see it in a different perspective. They can offer some comfort. And they can help us look for ways to learn, grow and mature from our experiences.

Any idea can also be limiting, and so also these. They can be used more compulsively as a comfort, as an escape, and can be pacifying. We can use them as a “should” and as yet another way we are not getting it and not measuring up. They can limit how we look at life, and make us reject other views that can be as or more helpful.

We can investigate these ideas:

Is it true? Can I know for certain?

What would I have to feel if I didn’t have these ideas? If I couldn’t think them? (Then feel that.)

What do I fear would happen if it wasn’t true? What do I fear would happen if I didn’t have these ideas? (Then look for the threat.)

Can I find X or someone who is or isn’t X? Can I find a plan? Learning? Maturing? Someone whose life is planned? Someone who needs to learn?

This is not about taking away something that works for us, or having us “face reality” in a cruel and heartless way. It’s about finding a deeper reality and peace. There can be a great relief through inquiring into these types of ideas, if we have held them as real and true.

………..
………..
………..

Initial notes…..

– we are here to learn, mature, awaken
– we chose this life in order to have the experiences we need to mature, grow, learn etc.
– we chose the people, the situations, the experiences
– it’s all happening for a reason, it’s part of the plan
– can be helpful, reframe, look for learnings
– can also be a comfort, escape, limiting, pacifying
–